19 March, 2012ICEM affiliates and new independent unions debate Arab Spring and union rights at a regional conference in Beirut.
LEBANON: The International Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Federation (ICEM) held a Middle East-North Africa (MENA) Regional Conference and Seminar on March 14-16 in Beirut with the support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES). Affiliated unions from the region including Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine and Yemen were joined by potential affiliates from Bahrain, Tunisia and Egypt.
A major focus of discussions was the Arab Spring and the fundamental political changes that are taking place in the region. Wide-ranging discussions took place on the situation in Egypt, where long-standing ICEM affiliates in the petroleum and electric power sectors were faced across the table by new emergent independent unions in these industries.
With the exception of the old unions affiliated with the Egyptian Trade Union Federation (ETUF), delegates expressed strong support to the dismissed union activists of Schlumberger oilfield services. As the general secretary of the new union was dismissed on the same day that the first Congress of the new organization elected him, it was clear that this was a blatant attack on the new structure and all delegates. Delegates called on ICEM to intensify the campaign on their behalf as well as for other union activists who had suffered similar dismissals.
Iraqi trade unions met in a work group which determined that it was essential for ICEM to revitalize its campaign to put pressure on the Iraqi government to introduce a new labour code fully compliant with ILO standards. Trade union organizations need to be able to function normally in both the public and private sectors, and the pluralistic union system that exists on the ground has to be guaranteed. Unity has to be built voluntarily by workers and their unions, and cannot be enforced by government decree.
The conference watched a graphic film made by the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU) which showed the immense difficulties their members face in crossing into Israel for daily work, with check-points serving as a major form of daily harassment.
Delegates examined international instruments including ILO core Conventions, OECD Guidelines for MNCs, UN Global Compact and Global Framework Agreements. It is important to build regional industry networks as well as company networks to strengthen trade unions in the region.
ICEM President Senzeni Zokwana and General Secretary Manfred Warda as well as IMF General Secretary Jyrki Raina committed the future IndustriALL Global Union to supporting efforts to build real and strong unions in the MENA region, organize training seminars, and increase the use of Arabic language for communications.
Partner unions in attendance came from Canada, Norway, Germany, South Africa and Turkey, a country often promoted since last year's Arab Spring as a model to follow. Turkey is economically active throughout the region and a major trading bridge between Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
See additional details on the ICEM website here.